Getting out into your french garden this spring
Spring is in the air and with it comes the perfect excuse to dust off your gardening gloves and head outside. Here in Southern France, the climate is ideal for growing all sorts of plants, but it’s worth remembering that what thrives elsewhere doesn’t always adapt well to the local soil and sunshine.
Gardening is growing in popularity in France, but the choice of plants can still be a little more limited, especially if you’re after something specific. That said, keep an eye out in local supermarkets as they often have brilliant spring deals on plants. Snap them up when you see them. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!
With the days warming up and the trees in blossom, now’s the perfect time to get stuck in and prep your garden for a lush summer season. Here are a few of our favourite ways to get started:
Take stock of the garden and make a plan
Before dashing off to the jardinerie and filling your trolley with impulse buys, take a step back. What worked last summer? Were there colour clashes, empty spots or plants that struggled? Making a rough plan now will save you time (and money) later. Take inspiration from your neighbours’ gardens too — if something’s thriving just down the road, there’s a good chance it’ll do well in your garden too. Gardeners everywhere love talking about their successes - so get chatting over the fence!
Tidy up beds and borders
It’s not just your home that benefits from a good spring clean. After a long winter, garden beds can be messy and overrun with leaves, weeds and old growth. Now’s the time to tidy it all up. Removing dead material helps prevent pests and diseases too. Planting ground cover can help suppress weeds later on, and a layer of mulch keeps beds looking neat and nourished. While you're at it, trim the lawn edges for a tidy finish.
Prune shrubs, hedges and fruit trees
With the risk of frost mostly behind us, you can safely start pruning. Fruit trees should be trimmed before they flower, while conifers respond best to pruning just before their new growth kicks in. If you have early spring-flowering shrubs, wait until their blooms fade before giving them a light trim to encourage strong growth next year.
Divide up perennials
One of the easiest (and cheapest!) ways to grow your garden is by dividing clumping perennials. Simply lift the plant, divide the root ball with a spade or sharp knife, and replant around the garden. Great candidates include agapanthus, ornamental grasses, hostas and irises.
Get creative with pots
Your garden doesn’t have to be all beds and borders. Vide-greniers and brocantes are brilliant hunting grounds for quirky containers. Old boots, watering cans, wine crates, anything goes! Add a few pots to patios or entrances for instant rural French charm.
Set up the automatic watering system and water butts
It may seem like a luxury, but come summer, you’ll thank yourself. Automatic watering systems are surprisingly affordable. Many are modular so you start small and expand as needed. Pair this with a couple of water butts, and you’ll save on water bills too.
Plant summer flowering bulbs and seeds
Get excited — this is when the fun really begins! Now’s the time to sow summer favourites like:
- Salvias
- Cosmos
- Zinnias
- Sunflowers
- Coreopsis
- Helenium
- Verbascum
Start a veg patch or potager
If you have space for a veg patch or potager it can be really rewarding. In Southern France you can grow a huge range of produce. These are some of the things to plant now to get you started!
- Beetroot
- Chilli peppers
- Tomatoes such as Green Zebra and Ananas
- Kale
- Carrots
- Leeks
- Peas
- Broad beans
- Salad crops
- Spinach
- Leeks
- Aubergines
If you are looking for your own garden paradise in France we’d be delighted to help you find it. Get in touch with our team or browse all our properties for sale here.
